I'm in the process of getting my Pajero Mini road legal in the Netherlands. What definately helps if this model already has accreditation in the UK. Would like to hear from UK Mini owners how they got their car on the road.

The only thing we have to add is one or two rear fog lamps as JDM cars don't come with these. In UK law, an import of 10 years old or above needs no IVA test so we are allowed to run KM/H speedometers and KM odometers, no conversion required but then I'm assuming that you'd be using KMs on your signage in which case,that's not an issue.
Here, imports >10 years old don't need to have a frame number replaced by a VIN as they do in NZ for example, and imports are "taxed" as some folk call the VED payable on most cars in the UK on the basis of their engine capacity rather than CO2 volumes, so our Pajero Minis cost £155 prt annum in cases where the VED is payable, but I know of two UK owners who have secured Heavy Quad status for their cars, which is technically illegal as although they qualify on their size, they weight more than the 550Kg class limit and should be rated as Private/Light Goods vehicles like any other car here.

Tyres aren't required to be EU approved, again only when the car is older than ten years, which means that we don't have to pay the £80 each that the excellent Yokohama Super Diggers cost and are free to use tyres sourced from Japan, where the 175/80% x 15" are available at lower cost even including the postage & packing cost to the UK.

Electrics:
Pre-2004 imports to the UK must have their JDM-spec alarm/immobiliser systems removed prior to shipping and these are usually replaced by any Thatcham approved system in the interests of health & safety as we (sadly?) aren't allowed to electrocute potential thieves or subject them to the illegally loud sirens of the JDM systems.
My bB, although a 2005 model, came with the earlier type of security system and in its three UK MOT tests to date, nobody has even mentioned this point, but my (1997 built) Pajero Mini, as I bought it from a dealer, had already left its old system in Japan and has a basic Toad security install that was put on by that dealer.

Lighting, apart from the rear fog that I mentioned above, is acceptable here as Japan drives on the left and has asymmetric dipping by default, so you'd need to fit some LHD lamps which isn't a problem if yours has the 7" round ones as Hella make 7" headlamps that use H4 bulbs, these are inexpensive. If, however, your Paj Mini has the later headlamps, which are only found in the Pajero, the equivalent small Nissan 4x4 that's the same car in all but name, and Kia Pride (old shape Mazda 121) cars. New units are available from Megazip in both LHD and RHD so converting needn't involve sticking beam converters to the lens.

Body fittings:
Both front and rear seat belts are compatible with UK regs, the Pajero Mini even came with inertia reel belts as standard in the rear but there's no Isofix point in the roof so carrying children in the back may not be allowed, depending on your laws. Ironic really as only a child would be anywhere near comfortable in the back.
My 1997 Mini came with only its factory applied epoxy primer to protect the chassis and floors, whereas Totoyta's JDM rust preventative measures are just as comprehensive as the UK models. I don't know whether your later car will be better in this respect but as Southern Japan uses no salt on its roads, my Paj Mini is still like new underneath and has now been treated with Shell Ensis V (like Finnegan's Waxoyl but it works far better and ship's chandlers in most sea ports will sell a 20 litre drum of Ensis V at less than just 5 litres of Waxoyl typically costs. This isn't compulsory but nobody wants their car to rot away when there's something that can be done. Japan used steel of reasonable quality but our wee Mitsubishis were simply not that well protected at the factory.

As for the question of a certificate of conformity, no, no JDM import has such a thing but imports newer than the ten year cutoff point are subject to IVA (individual vehicle approval) testing which is similar to the MOT but costs typically ten times as much and is extended to cover such things as having a VIN stamped into the car, changing the lamps for EU spec ones and fitting the compulsory (on post-April 1979 vehicles) rear fogs to meet newer regulations where those we fit to older imports simply need to work and be operated by a switch that displays by some means whether the lamp/ is/are on or off.
EU type approval is only needed for cars that are split new and here in the UK, we can't import new cars legally, they must have been registered in Japan for a short time (six months IIRC, but if this has changed no doubt someone on this forum or at JDMVIP.com can tell us for definite).
Only EU type approved cars can be purchased overseas and registered in the UK when they are still split new, so in other words if a UK subject wants to buy the latest product from VAG, PSA or Ford then they may find that a dealer in Belgium or Germany can supply their car, in RHD and cheaper than it costs locally, but this practice is less common than it was in the '80s.

Date not set, but legal technical check to get the license will be late August. First enjoy some holidays

Regarding the headlights I've opted for projectors. Nowadays these are pretty small, and will fit the unit without having to modify the case. Projector has a single H1 bulb. Looks great and modern, and light pattern is very good.
Also a foglight is required. That will be pretty straight forward. I've chosen for a double Pajero/Montero front/back fog light switch, which should fit nicely.

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